Hair and fingernail cortisol and the onset of acute coronary syndrome in the middle-aged and elderly menAcute psychosocial stress triggers an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which causes the adrenal cortex to secrete cortisol. Traditionally, cortisol has been measured in blood and saliva samples, which revealed hormone levels for a short time period. Recently, cortisol has been reportedly measured in hair samples (Russell et al., 2012). Scalp hair grows at an average rate of 1.0 cm/month; 1.0 cm of scalp hair may be used to determine the level of the hormone secreted during a period of 1 month. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 15, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Shuhei Izawa, Keiichi Miki, Masao Tsuchiya, Haruyo Yamada, Masatoshi Nagayama Source Type: research

Foot massage evokes oxytocin release and activation of orbitofrontal cortex and superior temporal sulcusThe neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays an important role in influencing both social bonds and a number of different aspects of social cognition in a variety of different species, including humans (Kendrick et al., 2017). There is increasing evidence across cultures that basal plasma OXT concentrations are reduced in disorders with social dysfunction, such as autism, and by early life social neglect which can also lead to social dysfunction (Green et al., 2001; Oztan et al., 2018; Parker et al., 2014; Zhang et al., 2016). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 14, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Qin Li, Benjamin Becker, Jennifer Wernicke, Yuanshu Chen, Yingying Zhang, Rui Li, Jiao Le, Juan Kou, Weihua Zhao, Keith M Kendrick Source Type: research

The endogenous oxytocin system in depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysisDepressive disorders are characterized by affective symptoms such as depressed mood, loss of interest and enjoyment, reduced energy, increased fatiguability, and diminished activity (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). They are complex disorders, as they comprise various subtypes, characterized by co-occuring symptoms and chronicity, and are often accompanied by comorbidities. Furthermore, depressive disorders are influenced by multiple psychological, social and biological factors (Kendler et al., 2006, 2002) which has implications for their treatment. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 11, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Sinha Engel, Sebastian Laufer, Christine Knaevelsrud, Sarah Schumacher Source Type: research

Increased frequency of mind wandering in healthy women using oral contraceptivesOral contraceptives (OC) are the most common type of contraceptive method used in industrialized countries (Daniels et al., 2015). It is estimated that 26% of women who are of reproductive age currently use OC and 82% of women report using it at some point in their lives (Daniels and Mosher, 2013). Around 10% of OC users report experiencing mood side effects (e.g., depressive symptoms, irritability (Kelly et al., 2010), which are common reasons for OC cessation (Rosenberg and Waugh, 1998; Westhoff et al., 2007). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 8, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Catherine Raymond, Marie-France Marin, Robert-Paul Juster, Sarah Leclaire, Olivier Bourdon, Sophia Cayer-Falardeau, Sonia J. Lupien Source Type: research

Withdrawal of plasma estradiol is associated with increased anxiety reported by women in the first 12 hours after deliveryTransient mood changes, also known as postpartum blues, occur in 15 to 85% of women in the immediate puerperium (Henshaw, 2003) and are usually described as predictors of postpartum depression (DPP) (Reck et al., 2009). DPP is a severe condition affecting around 10 to 22% of the mothers (Gaynes et al., 2005). In recent reviews investigating predictors of postpartum depression, besides the role of postpartum blues and environmental stressors, hormonal changes were addressed as possible important biomarkers for this period (Garcia-Leal et al., 2017; Guintivano et al., 2018). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Marcos Gon çalves de Rezende, Cybele Garcia-Leal, Marcos Felipe Silva de Sá, Ricardo de Carvalho Cavalli, Cristina Marta Del-Ben Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Low vagal tone in two rat models of psychopathology involving high or low corticosterone stress responsesOne of the current challenges in mental health research is the identification of risk factors and mechanisms related to individual vulnerability to develop psychopathologies (Weger and Sandi, 2018). Given the well-known impact of stress in triggering and exacerbating psychopathologies (de Kloet et al., 2016; McEwen et al., 2012), a great deal of research is concentrating on understanding the role of the major physiological stress systems [i.e., the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis] in this context (Carnevali et al., 2018; de Kloet et al., 2005; Pruessner et al., 1997; ...Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - November 2, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Damien Huzard, Sriparna Ghosal, Jocelyn Grosse, Luca Carnevali, Andrea Sgoifo, Carmen Sandi Source Type: research

Memories of and influenced by the Trier Social Stress TestStress has obtained a rather bad reputation nowadays. It is often related to impaired cognitive performance and when occurring chronically it is commonly associated with physical and mental health problems. However, research has illustrated that the impact of stress on cognitive functions such as learning and memory are far more complex than initially assumed. Stress may enhance or impair memory depending on several key modulators and mediators. Both quantitative and qualitative shifts take place (Schwabe& Wolf, 2013). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 29, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Oliver T. Wolf Source Type: research

Hpa axis responses to psychological challenge linking stress and disease: what do we know on sources of intra- and interindividual variability?Chronic stress is a major risk factor for several disorders, including highly prevalent diseases such as depression, anxiety disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and the metabolic syndrome (see 3.8 and 3.9). Since the finding of a disinhibited hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in depressed patients (Carroll et al., 1980), it was assumed that alterations in the activity of this system may be a close correlate of stress-related pathology. The HPA axis is a core component of the neuroendocrine stress response. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 29, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Sandra Z änkert, Silja Bellingrath, Stefan Wüst, Brigitte M. Kudielka Source Type: research

Women's fertility cues affect cooperative behavior: Evidence for the role of the human putative chemosignal estratetraenolHuman body odors have been shown to convey social signals of many kinds. In the animal kingdom, many mammalian species use odorous cues to communicate periods of reproduction readiness among females. Specifically, female body odor and other body secretions take on an attractive character around the ovulation period (Doty, 1986). In rodents for example, females' body odors are known to stimulate males' reproductive systems, causing an increase in males' testosterone levels (Brown& Macdonald, 1985). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 29, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Chen Oren, Simone G. Shamay-Tsoory Source Type: research

Methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene associated with depression in patients with acute coronary syndromeBecause acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of death, increased effort has been made toward improving its treatment outcomes and prognosis (Benjamin et al., 2018). Depression is a common comorbidity in ACS patients and is associated with poor prognoses with increased morbidity and mortality (Lichtman et al., 2014). These phenomena may be due to common biological mechanisms shared by ACS and depression. Because depression can be treated, a clearer understanding of the pathophysiology of depression in ACS patients could improve its prognosis. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 29, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Hee-Ju Kang, Kyung-Yeol Bae, Sung-Wan Kim, Il-Seon Shin, Hye-Ran Kim, Myung-Geun Shin, Young Joon Hong, Youngkeun Ahn, Myung Ho Jeong, Jin-Sang Yoon, Jae-Min Kim Source Type: research

Altered Cellular Immune Reactivity in Traumatized Women with and without Major Depressive DisorderAlterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis such as altered glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity and increased immune reactivity might contribute to the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) (Pariante, 2017). Exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE) enhances the risk to develop MDD later in life and is itself associated with changes in HPA axis function (Mandelli et al., 2015; Anacker et al., 2014). Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests a close interplay among ACE, inflammation and altered HPA axis signaling in the pathogenesis of later life mental disorders (Nusslock and Miller, 2016...Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 28, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Julian Hellmann-Regen, Carsten Spitzer, Linn K. Kuehl, Katharina Schultebraucks, Christian Otte, Katja Wingenfeld Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Human chemosignals modulate emotional perception of biological motion in a sex-specific mannerPheromones, secreted to the outside by an individual and received by a second individual of the same species, are ubiquitously used in the animal kingdom and mediate a wide range of social interactions (Karlson and Luscher, 1959; Wyatt, 2003). A well-studied class of pheromones is called sex pheromones, which regulate behaviors related to mate choice and reproduction. Their influence on the recipients take many forms, from priming the reproductive system (Keller-Costa et al., 2014), inducing preference, searching behavior, and the adoption of a mating stance in the opposite sex (Dorries et al., 1997; Li et al., 2002), to f...Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 27, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Yuting Ye, Yuan Zhuang, Monique A.M. Smeets, Wen Zhou Source Type: research

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis feedback sensitivity in different states of back painThe transition from acute to chronic pain has been associated with a number of peripheral and central physiological, psychological and psychosocial predictors, among them prominently also stress experience and stress reactivity (e.g., Flor, 2017; Vachon-Presseau, 2018). The activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis plays an important mediating role in the relationship between stress and pain (e.g., McEwen and Kalia, 2010). In acute pain, higher baseline cortisol levels are associated with lower pain reports (Al ’Absi et al., 2002). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 26, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Frauke Nees, Martin L öffler, Katrin Usai, Herta Flor Source Type: research

Stress and immunosenescence: The role of telomeraseChronic stress is a major contributor to the development and progression of a range of physical and mental disorders such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disease and depression (Cohen et al., 2007). Several lines of evidence converge to suggest that these pathophysiological effects of stress on health and disease risk are mediated in large part by rate of accelerated aging of the immune system (immunosenescence). This process is characterized by the inability to mount an appropriate and effective immune response to challenge, and it is associated with a low-grade chronic pro-infla...Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 23, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Karin de Punder, Christine Heim, Pathik D. Wadhwa, Sonja Entringer Source Type: research

Major depression and atrial natriuretic peptide: the role of adverse childhood experiencesNeuroendocrine peptides have been increasingly acknowledged in psychiatric research due to their actions in the central nervous system (CNS) (Bandelow et al., 2017). Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is a 28 amino acid peptide, which is synthesised in cardiomyocytes and acts in the context of blood pressure regulation. Reduced basal ANP levels have been associated with cardiovascular disease, overweight, hypertension, and insulin resistance (Wis én et al., 2011). In the CNS, ANP is expressed in the hypothalamus, brainstem, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex (Meyer and Herrmann-Lingen, 2018). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 23, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: M. Kaczmarczyk, C. Otte, K. Wiedemann, L.K. Kuehl, K. Schultebraucks, C. Spitzer, K. Wingenfeld Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Over-expression of TGF- β1 gene in medication free SchizophreniaImmunological pathways play a crucial role in developing and precipitating neuropsychiatric disorders. Although the exact pathogenesis of schizophrenia is unknown, the possible role of genetic and biomarker involvement of the immune system is gaining attention. Here we quantified the mRNA expression of cytokines as a key role player of the immune system from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls to identify the differentially expressed genes. (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 20, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Mahsa M. Amoli, Fatemeh Khatami, Seyed Masoud Arzaghi, Samaneh Enayati, Ali-Akbar Nejatisafa Source Type: research

The dual nature of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis regulation in dyads of very preterm infants and their mothersThe mother-infant dyad is meant to be an open, non-linear dynamic system in which mothers and infants reciprocally regulate their states in order to adjust to challenging and stressful conditions (Provenzi et al., 2015a,b; Tronick& Beeghly, 2011). The emergence of patterns of behavioral and biological rhythms co-regulation is key to this dyadic self-regulating system (Feldman, 2006; Welch, 2016). At the behavioral level, mother-infant coordination has been widely investigated (Provenzi et al., 2018) and conceptualized as a coupling of behavioral and affective states in a given moment (e.g., dyadic matching; Weinberg et...Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 12, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Livio Provenzi, Lorenzo Giusti, Monica Fumagalli, Susanna Frigerio, Francesco Morandi, Renato Borgatti, Fabio Mosca, Rosario Montirosso Source Type: research

Grief, Depressive Symptoms, and Inflammation in the Spousally BereavedThe loss of a spouse is an extremely stressful life event that puts people at risk for mental and physical health problems (Stahl et al., 2016). Bereavement is linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and premature mortality (Moon et al., 2013). Even after adjusting for established risk factors, the death of a spouse is associated with an increased rate of mortality from cardiovascular events (Hart et al., 2007). The first 3 months after the loss of a spouse puts people at the greatest risk for cardiovascular events (Shor et al., 2012). (Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology)Source: Psychoneuroendocrinology - October 11, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Christopher Fagundes, Ryan L. Brown, Michelle A. Chen, Kyle W. Murdock, Levi Saucedo, Angie LeRoy, E. Lydia Wu, Luz M. Garcini, Anoushka D. Shahane, Faiza Baameur, Cobi Heijnen Source Type: research